Search

Well, today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year; with just over nine hours of daylight at this latitude. Although it’s an unusually balmy 46 degrees outside, I guess we’ll say that play is officially over for the 2011 petanque season.

Now even though I wasn’t there for every game, I did manage to collect data on what was going on (I’ve got a mole on the inside!). Thought I’d share a few tidbits with you.

For one, we enjoyed a longer than usual petanque season this year with over six months of play! Our first “officially sanctioned” outing was on April 9th and the last one was on October 22nd. I think we can partially credit the extended season to the membership making an effort to keep Ziggy playing up to the November tournament. Congratulations Ziggy by the way!

June and July were our busiest months with four outings each month, and the July 9th Bastille Day BBQ atMcGuanePark reeled in a record turnout of eighteen petanquers! We averaged eight people per event otherwise. A perfect number considering 13 of our 20 outings were inForest Park where there are only two terrains.

Perhaps the game at McGuane was the only casualty of the season. We only had five games there and there weren’t enough attendees to keep the Wednesday night games going this year. On the other hand, we did manage to work in a game out inWheatonwith ten people in attendance; christeningIllinois’ only full-blooded petanque terrain.

For next year, we’re already looking at “The Hoedown inHebron” spring road trip, the annual spring picnic, the Bastille Day BBQ and a Labor Day weekend event; seems not everyone is jetting out of town anymore on those holiday weekends.

Winter starts tomorrow, so time to practice shooting with a pair of rolled up socks in your hallway at home. Have a great winter and we’ll see you in the springtime! Thanks for sending in those club dues!

COME OUT AND PLAY!

The Chicago Petanque Club meets at various locations in the Chicago area. For the latest terrain location and playing times, click on the MESSAGE BOARD link below.
See the
TERRAINS page for location maps.